After week one, McMaster football is 1-0. It was not as methodical of a win as the team has seen the past few seasons – 26-2 over Queen’s in 2011, 50-9 over Guelph in 2012, 51-24 over Ottawa last year – but it showed the team’s holes while still getting a positive result over the Guelph Gryphons.

It’s worth mentioning that McMaster played Waterloo on Sept. 6 – the Marauders won, 66-0 – but given the weakness of the Warriors squad, the statistics in those games have very little significance when trying to draw any conclusions. 66 points and 650 yards look good on paper, but it is not indicative of future performance. In order to analyze the areas for improvement, it is better to stick to games against top talent.

From the Guelph game, Mac’s most glaring hole is a familiar one. First down production was not an area of strength last year, and the Marauders did not instill confidence through the opening half of the 2014 season either. At the half, Mac had 58 yards on 17 first down attempts, or 3.4 yards per play. The struggle put the Marauders in a 13-9 hole.

“In a perfect world, a first-down win for us is five or more yards [gained],” said Jon Behie, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the football program. “We weren’t overly pleased with how we did. We did not think it was as terrible as it seemed on the sideline – we were driving the ball a little bit but not consistently.

First down production improved in the second, and with that, Mac put together more point-lucrative drives. On 20 first-down plays, McMaster gained 104 yards on 20 plays, meaning 5.2 yards per play. (Or, a first-down win by the coaching staff’s definition.)

Mac outscored Guelph 18-14 in the second half, and won the game in overtime.

Guelph was piling more players on the defensive line – a stand-up seven-man front on many plays – something that McMaster had not game planned for. Mac’s half-time adjustments to the increased pocket pressure gave the team a second-half edge.

“The defence [Guelph] was playing was not what we prepped for. And that’s the problem with week one, you don’t know. You don’t have film to go off of, you’re relying on last year’s stuff and rumours. When they came up in the seven-man front, it was not where we spent a lot of our practice time in the past week,” said Behie.

To combat Guelph’s blitzing style, Mac moved towards bootleg passes, play-action throws, and quick passing attempts involving a few reads and finding the open receiver. That is evident in the play-by-play of the third quarter, where quarterback Marshall Ferguson completed passes to a variety of receivers for gains of 4, 7 (twice), 10, and 11 yards before stretching it out for a couple of 20+ yard plays later in the game.

Behie says the offence loves their quick passing game but do not expect the second half success they achieved against Guelph to last week after week. But there are so many weapons that even if teams scheme to take away some options, there will be players who can escape coverage.

If Mac can continue winning first downs – which will require an improved rushing game, a whole different beast in itself – then a deep playoff run should be well within reach for the No. 5 CIS-ranked team.

After being rained out of their first game of the season, the Marauders women’s rugby team is still looking for their opportunity to show off the hard work they have been putting in over the summer.

In their first game against Trent University, they got to play for 21 minutes before the first strike of lightning hit.

The Marauders were up on Trent with a score of 24-3, scoring four tries in the first 20 minutes.

Although the OUA is still determining the final result of this game, the Marauders proved their dominant skill early on in the match.

Their success in their first showing of the season resulted from the hard work the Marauders put into training camp the week before, and the emphasis they have put on their fitness training throughout the winter.

“Our players from the end of last season to this year completely dedicated themselves through strength and conditioning, their prep coming into this season was phenomenal,” said Allen.

“We keep the historical fitness testing standards, and we had a bunch of records broken this year in camp, so the biggest improvement of the team is the bulk of the team has gotten a year older, a year stronger, and a year fitter, and they played some good rugby,” added Allen.

Over the summer, four players represented the senior women’s provincial team, four players represented the Canadian U-20 team, three players represented the Olympic Games U-18 national team, and Captain Cindy Nelles went to the World Cup as a replacement player.

Along with all of the hard work the other players have been putting in to their training, the Marauders have a very skilled and determined roster this year. It is also one of the biggest rosters in the OUA, made up of 37 players.

“Everyone that was invited to that training camp is still on our roster so we haven’t really made cuts at this point. There are some girls that are much more developmental. They won’t play in the OUA this year,” said Allen.

The final roster that Allen will be submitting to the OUA will have 34 athletes.

Allen himself is new to the team, having taken helm of the program in January 2014.

The rookies on the team are also making a swift transition into their first year, creating bonds with one another that were established during training camp.

“The camaraderie amongst our team is fantastic. Our upper year players have been very open to all of the first year players; it’s been very good over the last couple of weeks because we’ve been training so much and the girls have been around each other so much, so they’ve started to create those bonds,” said Allen.

The large contingent of first years has the Marauders excited for the future of the team, as the majority of them will not be competing, but rather working over the year to make the starting line-up in upcoming seasons.

With such a big roster, Allen has some decisions to make on who he will be bringing to each away game.

“We have quite a few first years this year, so when they improve their strength and conditioning they can come in next year or the year after,” said Allen.

For each game, the Marauders will be selecting 22 athletes, made up of 15 starters and seven subs.

The team will continue to train hard throughout the next week before they take on the No. 1 OUA ranked team, the Queen’s Gaels at the Back Ten Field this Sunday, Sept. 14.

The kick off will be at 1 p.m.

After week one, McMaster football is 1-0. It was not as methodical of a win as the team has seen the past few seasons - 26-2 over Queen’s in 2011, 50-9 over Guelph in 2012, 51-24 over Ottawa last year – but it showed the team’s holes while still getting a positive result over the Guelph Gryphons.

Mac’s most glaring hole is a familiar one. First down-production was not an area of strength last year, and the Marauders did not instill confidence through the opening half of the 2014 season either. At the half, Mac had 58 yards on 17 first down attempts, or 3.4 yards per play. The struggle put the Marauders in a 13-9 hole.

“In a perfect world, a first-down win for us is five or more yards [gained],” said Jon Behie, assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the football program. “We weren’t overly pleased with how we did. We did not think it was as terrible as it seemed on the sideline - we were driving the ball a little bit but not consistently.”

First down production improved in the second, and with that, Mac put together more point-lucrative drives. On 20 first-down plays, McMaster gained 104 yards on 20 plays, meaning 5.2 yards per play. (Or, a first-down win by the coaching staff’s definition.)

Mac would outscore Guelph 18-14 in the second half, and win the game in overtime.

Guelph was piling more players on the defensive line - a stand-up seven-man front on many plays - something that McMaster had not game planned for. Mac’s half-time adjustments to the increased pocket pressure gave the team a second-half edge.

“The defence [Guelph] was playing was not what we prepped for. And that’s the problem with week one, you don’t know. You don’t have film to go off of, you’re relying on last year’s stuff and rumours. When they came up in the seven-man front, it was not where we spent a lot of our practice time in the past week,” said Behie.

To combat Guelph’s blitzing style, Mac moved towards bootleg passes, play-action throws and quick passing attempts involving a few reads and finding the open receiver. That is evident in the play-by-play of the third quarter, where quarterback Marshall Ferguson completed passes to a variety of receivers for gains of 4, 7 (twice), 10 and 11 yards before stretching it out for a couple of 20+ yard plays later in the game.

Behie says the offence loves their quick passing game but do not expect the second half success they achieved against Guelph to last week after week. There are so many weapons, though, that even if teams scheme to take away some options, there will be players who can escape coverage.

If Mac can continue winning first downs - which will require an improved rushing game, a whole different beast in itself - then a deep playoff run should be well within reach for the No. 5 CIS-ranked team.

 

 

McMaster men’s basketball has plenty to be happy about with last year’s fifth-place national finish. But they have three more reasons to be optimistic about the future of the program.

July 8 marked the annual tradition of the recruit welcome press conference, recognizing Connor Gilmore, Marko Grahovac and Dave McCulloch for opting to wear the Maroon and Grey for the next stage in their basketball careers.

When asked about why they went to McMaster, all three recruits pointed to the university’s academic standing as well as housing one of the best basketball programs in the country.

Gilmore, a New England prep school recruit, already has the size to compete at the CIS level, coming in at 6’ 7” and 215 lbs. He can stretch the floor with his shooting, as well as battle for boards.

“I think I fit into the team great so far. I see myself making a big impact on the team from the start of the year,” Gilmore said.

The Toronto, Ont. native said he’s looking forward to playing with Taylor Black, who has a comparable game. At the time of the initial recruit announcement, head coach Amos Connolly said, “it’s reassuring to know the future at our forward position is in good hands.”

Dave McCulloch is one of two Cardinal Newman products joining Mac next year. The strong Kinesiology department at McMaster caught his eye.

“I’ve heard so many good things about the Kinesiology program, and the team is up-and-coming – very good. Came fifth in the country last year and I think we can do even better this year, and further years to come,” McCulloch said.

Connolly can use the hometown recruit as a “3-and-D” player, using McCulloch’s shooting to stretch the floor and his height to guard multiple positions.

McCulloch is eager to get in the gym and compete with some of Mac’s elite talent.

“I’m looking forward to learning from Adam Presutti … looking forward to playing with Connor [Gilmore]. Played against him basically since grade 8. And Taylor Black, another Hamilton product, won a crazy amount of awards, everyone respects him,” said McCulloch.

Marko Grahovac, another Cardinal Newman graduate, is a wing player, capable of shooting from the perimeter and ready to make his mark on the defensive end.

“Me and David [McCulloch] are very defensive-minded so we can fit in with the rotations and know the defensive principles to fit right away,” said Grahovac.

Mac has retooled for the future of the program, but also took the time to adjust the titles of some current staff members.

Rod Bynum has been named General Manager of the team to more accurately reflect his role. With the program since 1994, Bynum had served in a General Manager position for quite a while – the naming accurately reflects his countless contributions to the program.

Justin Gunter, former-player-turned-coach, has been named associate head coach of the team.

Going forward, the team will continue to practice throughout the summer and prepare for an oft-stated team goal: winning a national championship.

Tyler Crapigna, Aram Eisho and Kevin Malcolm have been selected in the fifth and seventh rounds respectively, and for Assistant Coach Jon Behie, these selections are well-deserved.

“It’s certainly not a shock that any of those guys got selected,” said Behie.

The highest-scouted CFL prospect of the three was Tyler Crapigna, who was selected 40th overall by the Calgary Stampeders.

His success and drafting eligibility is something that the coaches saw coming early on in his collegiate career.

“Tyler was one of the highest-scouted recruits as a kicker that we’ve ever brought in, and he certainly lived up to that billing” said Behie.

“We had assumed throughout his career that he would be selected for the CFL draft at some point.”

Behie notes Crapigna’s ability to keep calm under pressure as a valuable asset that he is carrying with him in to the draft.

This quality of his was on full display in the 2011 Vanier Cup Championship final when his dramatic final kick is ultimately what got them to win the Cup.

“He missed that first (kick) in regulation, and then bounced back and kicked the winner probably 15 minutes later, that’s a good attribute for a kicker is a short memory and he’s got that.”

Crapigna’s potential was recognized by the coaching staff years ago, and his preparation, skill and experience in high-pressured situations are an added bonus for him in the draft.

“He’s been preparing for this for a long time and he’s definitely ready,” added Behie.

Aram Eisho, on the other hand, was picked 56th overall in the final round by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Eisho, who was named to the Marauders roster for three years, brings both accolades and lots of energy to the 2014 draft.

“He’s very, very accomplished,” said Behie.

Eisho was a standout linebacker in high school, and was the CJFL defensive player of the year for three years in a row.

More recently he was named the OUA defensive player of the year and President’s trophy recipient in 2012.

“He’s a straight-up gamer, and a guy that’s going to bring a lot of energy to the next level , and his enthusiasm for the game is definitely on display anytime he steps onto the field,” said Behie.

The Marauders have benefitted from Eisho’s competitive drive and enthusiasm in their consecutive Vanier Cup final runs, and his heart and passion for the game of football is something that will not go unnoticed by the Blue Bombers coaching staff.

Lastly, offensive lineman Kevin Malcolm was the final player chosen in the draft, selected 65th overall by the Ottawa Redblacks.

“Kevin does one of the hardest things to do, and that’s throw a football between your legs while upside down, fifteen yards, and he does it very, very, very well,” said Behie.

Malcolm has never missed a snap in his four seasons as a Marauder, which is something that the Ottawa Redblacks have recognized and appreciate.

“It’s such a valuable thing, and some teams may take it for granted,” said Behie.

“But I’m glad Ottawa saw that and understands that it is a difficult thing, and that (Kevin) could have a great career just snapping a football,” added Behie.

Over the last two years, the Marauders have been able to produce eight CFL prospects, with last year’s draft consisting of Matt Sewell, Ben D’Aguilar, Mike DiCroce, Spencer Moore and Michael Daly.

Behie credits the athletes for their dedication and hard work that they have put in that has led to their recognition from the CFL.

“It’s safe to say that they might have been in this position, and probably would have been in this position no matter what school they chose, and that’s because they’re extremely talented football players and great guys,” said Behie.

The players have also been able to maximize their potential through the renowned facilities and programs that McMaster has in place.

“We offer opportunity through our systems that we run and through our schemes to prepare them mentally for the next level, and the way we structure our strength and conditioning and the facilities that we have to offer are all considered world-class, and that certainly contributes to them reaching their potential as well” added Behie.

The ability of the Marauders coaching staff to recruit these accomplished and talented athletes also does not go unnoticed, as the coaches showing an interest in these players has given them both confidence and interest to come to McMaster in the first place and to work hard to make the roster.

Once they make the roster, the rest is up to them.

For Crapigna, Eisho and Malcolm, the hardest part of the draft is underway.

They are currently trying out for their respective teams and need to make an impression early.

Although they will have to work extremely hard at try-outs to prove themselves and to stand-out as players and people, Assistant Coach Behie has all the faith in the world for his athletes.

“They just have to keep doing what they’ve been doing. They’ve gotten to this point through hard work and perseverance and dedication to the game of football, so if they just keep going with that, they’re going to be just fine, because all three are extremely talented young guys.”

Take a look through basketball rosters at almost every level - house league, university, and international. They all feature someone titled “team manager” or some variety of the term.

There is no real information in those four syllables, though. Team managers are ubiquitous and necessary in basketball circles, but the job description varies from team to team. In a game where positions like centre and small forward are beginning to veer away from their traditional sense, the team manager is on the opposite end – there has never really been a tradition.

Ask Anne Marie Thuss, - team manager for Canada Basketball’s Senior Women’s National Team, starting with the national sport organization in 2000, and assistant coach with the McMaster women’s basketball program – what her job entails and she echoes the above sentiments.

“My role can best be defined by doing anything that’s required, quietly, so that the coaches and support staff can maximize their energy to do their job and athletes can minimize distractions,” said Thuss.

That is a humble description for a job that can be incredibly stressful. Thuss tells stories about taking back roads in China with a bellhop to a house in order to access the Internet and communicate with Canada Basketball officials that the team has arrived safely and everything is okay. She boasts that she can get water, ice and laundry done in five different languages. Thuss would give a kiss to a transportation officer in the Dominican Republic to ensure that her team would have priority in the organizational hell that was the D.R.’s bus terminal.

Really, as a team manager with Canada Basketball, she has to be the feet on the ground to make things happen and to solve a problem. You could not train someone to do this job in a classroom – they would have to go out and experience it.

Those hardly capture what she has done as the behind-the-scenes maestro. Colleagues at Canada Basketball always say the same things about her, unsolicited; “Anne Marie is so calm. I don’t know how she does.”

Bottom-line: Thuss gets shit done.

“As a manager, you have to be a calm in a storm. You’ve got to have enhanced emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills,” said Thuss.

She started out with Allison McNeill, who was coaching the junior women’s program. Canada Basketball wanted someone who could relate to that 16-17 year-old group, and Thuss worked in high schools. She had seven years of assistant coaching experience at York University with Bill Pangos and his women’s team, so Thuss fit the bill. Doing stats and acting as a “sounding board” as Thuss puts it, a role was carved out for her in the Canada Basketball sphere. Shortly after, McNeill was moved up to coach the senior women’s program and asked Thuss to join her on the bench for the premier Canadian women’s team.

And the experience was, in a word, awesome. Thuss speaks glowingly about working with McNeill and now McMaster alumnus Lisa Thomaidis, referring to both as world-class coaches and giving credit to them for her growth as a leader.

But Thuss goes beyond someone who is an expert problem-solver – during games she is tasked with analyzing offensive production and making recommendations in game. A Math major, Thuss says this is the biggest strength she brings to the bench, as she is able to quickly turn around a piece of work.

And do not underestimate the importance of a calming presence on the bench. With McMaster, Thuss is typically the first person a post player will come talk to after picking up a critical foul in a game. She can mellow a player out and help them make adjustments on either end through a quick chat on the bench, and this was key in Mac’s success this season.

In 2013, the Canadian Senior Women’s National Team held training camp in the Burridge Gym and Thuss brought in some of the younger Marauder players to watch the practices. She describes it as a positive experience for them, to see how Canada’s top athletes bring a certain extreme intensity to every single possession.

But you would not know any of this stuff about Anne-Marie Thuss unless you asked. Towards the end of the interview, she asked for this story to “not be a big deal.” She did not want the attention - a modest request from someone who is integral to success.

Right to Play is a charity that bases its mission on using sport and play to empower children to overcome poverty, conflict and disease in underprivileged communities.

The organization has expanded its reach from Europe, after Norway’s four-time Olympic speed-skating gold medallist Johann Olav Koss pioneered the group.

There is now an active Right to Play community situated within McMaster University that has seen significant and rapid success.

The McMaster University Right to Play club spreads the word through soccer tournaments, ball hockey tournaments, and other events that get people on campus involved in the great cause.

The club has also partnered with GoodLife, and plays an active role in renowned races across Canada - such as the Scotiabank Half Marathon.

“It’s called ‘Race for the Change,’ and it takes place all over Canada,” said McMaster Right to Play research coordinator, Steph Merino.

The mission of right to play in this movement is to get the marathoners that are unsure of what charity to donate to, to put their money towards a good cause that is also sport-oriented.

“We talk to people that actually run all of these races and try to get them to fundraise for a reason,” said Merino, “So we go to running clubs and try to advertise for it.”

In terms of some of the other events that Right to Play hosts around McMaster, Merino mentions the outstanding amount of involvement that takes place amongst McMaster’s  student-athlete community.

“Last year we had our 24 hours of sport, and the women’s volleyball team and the men’s basketball team, all came out in support of the cause,” said Merino.

“We also had a couple booths at homecoming, and we had a couple people on the football team wear Right to Play bracelets.”

This year, with the help from the executive team, the Right to Play organization has gained popularity, as there has been an special effort to get more athletes representing each sport to become ambassadors for the organization.

One of the big events that the Marauders varsity athletes took part in included the “Go Shoeless” event which required the coaches and athletes to participate barefoot in a competition to raise money for Right to Play.

“Basically the men’s rugby team, women’s soccer team, fast-pitch, a bunch of the varsity athletes, the coaches and athletes went shoeless for a game in order to support right to play, so all of their proceeds went towards Right to Play,” said Merino.

Some of the athletes that have a very active involvement within Right to Play include women’s rugby player Yukino Fukoshimi, and women’s soccer player Jocelyn Wilkins.

These Marauders athletes have had a huge role within the organization and have done a lot for the movement.

“As a part of the Right To Play club, I help promote events and tournaments run throughout the year,” said Fukoshimi.

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“I’ve been helping educate my teammates about Right To Play as well; it’s nice to have a way to be globally aware and involved,” added Fukoshimi.

Although Fukoshimi is involved in the organization for the fun of it, she also credits her love for sport, and her desire for everyone to experience her passion for it to her involvement in Right to Play.

“Often, we don’t realize how lucky we are that we get to play sports - we grow up playing dodgeball, soccer, and all kinds of fun games throughout school and club sports. I can’t imagine having a life without sports and I don’t want anyone else to have to either - that’s why I support Right To Play,” said Fukoshimi.

As for Wilkins, she is heavily involved within the organization, and has visited the Right to Play Headquarters of Canada in Toronto a couple of times.

Her favourite part about being involved in Right to Play is being able to spread the word to others.

“I really like telling people about Right to Play, spreading the word about what they do and getting as many people involved in this organization as possible,” said Wilkins.

Wilkins main attraction to the organization is the fact that it allows people everywhere to participate in “play”- not sport. For her, there is a big difference between the two.

“This organization allows you to connect with others through play; notice how I didn’t say sport. I think a lot of people sometimes assume Right to Play has to do solely with sports, and don’t get me wrong, there can be a huge sport aspect, but the focus is on the word “play” - something that is universal around the world,” said Wilkins.

The world-renowned charity organization that is centered around sport and play has a large impact on athletes everywhere, and has been near and dear to the hearts of student-athletes at McMaster University.

“That’s why varsity athletes are coming out to our events, volunteering, donating, giving money for bracelets. They’ll give us five bucks, and we’ll tell them it’s only two bucks, and they tell us to keep the change,” said Merino.

“They truly enjoy the sport they love, so for them to be able to donate that to other children and athletes around the world, the way that sport has effected their lives and others lives, they identify with that and they love it.”

Right to Play has seen outstanding success at McMaster within the last year, mostly due to the awareness that has been brought to it.

For such a popular organization, with such talented student representatives, its popularity will only go uphill in years to come.

Sarah O'Connor

Staff Reporter

McMaster’s wrestling team was busy this past weekend taking part in two high-stake competitions.

On Jan. 25 the team participated in the Ontario Junior Championships where Monica Wood (48 kg) finished a strong third and will advance to the National Junior Championships scheduled for March of this year.

“I love getting time on the mat with strong competitors,” said second-year wrestler Monica Wood.

She expressed excitement about her upcoming trip to nationals but knows there is a lot of work to be done before that, “I am quite excited to compete to my best ability and prepare in every way I can. I can definitely feel the intensity in practice rising and the extra workouts have definitely helped in practice and in my matches.”

“Nationals is just around the corner and I know that the schedule that our coach has the team on will definitely prepare my team mates and myself ready to compete,” said Wood.

On Jan. 26 the wrestling team competed at the Queens Open and brought home gold thanks to the efforts of Chris Garneau in the 68 kg class.

Erica D’Angelo finished in third place as well, but lost a critical match to last year’s Brock University CIS champion.

“I feel we performed well, our team has been training hard and really upping the strength and conditioning workouts which showed this weekend,” said D’Angelo.

“I placed silver,” added D’Angelo, “which is a real accomplishment for me since this is my third tournament back since my concussion. I feel confident that we are going to do well at the western open this weekend, and OUAS which are Feb 15.”

Coach Nick Cipriano expressed great pride in his team and sees great achievements in their future.

“We are very pleased thus far how our season is unfolding. While at present, we have a couple of key players out of our line-up because they are nurturing injuries, we are optimistic that they will be back in full force for our championships,” said Cipriano.

“If everyone is healthy, we’ll be in terrific shape.”

The narrative about McMaster’s inability to finish in the fourth quarter is beginning to unravel. With 43 seconds left, Vanessa Bonomo drove left, stepped back and knocked down a mid-range jumper.

The shot put the McMaster Marauders up 59-57 – its first fourth quarter lead of the game.

McMaster’s opponent – the Western Mustangs – were leading in the standings by two games going into the Jan. 25 match-up.

Bonomo’s shot forced the Mustangs to foul, and with two offensive rebounds from Rachael Holmes, the Marauders had buried a capable opponent in a fourth quarter.

It was the itch Mac could not stretch but finally, they had.

“I knew I was going to have to put up a quick three or drive to the net, and it was a lucky shot for me,” said Bonomo.

“I don’t really use the step-back to often, so I was surprised to see it go down.”

After that fourth quarter, the fifth-year point guard believes the victory will have a trickle-down effect.

She says the team looks different than it has earlier in this season, and thinks that change is here to stay.

“It was huge for our confidence, it looked like everyone was catching the ball looking to score,” said the co-captain.

Now, Mac heads to Thunder Bay, Ont., to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in a double-header.

The games offer a chance for McMaster to create some separation between them, Brock and Lakehead.

At 10-6, the Marauders own a respectable record and the appreciation from coaches around the CIS, receiving votes yet again for the weekly top-ten poll.

Including exhibition play, McMaster stacks up well against the rest of the country, sitting at ninth in the CIS Blog’s Simple Ranking System – a figure that encompasses a team’s margin of victory and quality of opponents, while also weighing more recent games more heavily.

But despite all those positives, they only have a one-game lead over Brock (with a game in hand) and a two-game lead over Lakehead.

A sweep of the Wolves is ideal, given the road ahead. McMaster has to play Brock at home, Windsor in Windsor, Laurier at home and Waterloo at home to finish out the season post-Thunder Bay, and Mac is 2-2 against those opponents. A home playoff game is a stated team goal and well within their reach.

It’s also favourable because McMaster is 5-2 at home, compared to 5-4 on the road.

“We knew once we dropped that game to Guelph and that game to Laurier, we had to win-out the season,” said Bonomo.

In order to accomplish that, McMaster will need to keep playing defence with the intensity they have all year in order to get there.

Through sixteen games, only Windsor has allowed fewer points against in the OUA West. Mac’s offence has been strong also, as they sit in third for points for in the entire Ontario conference.

It is possible that the fourth quarter against Western was an anomaly, but it is looking unlikely.

The Marauder’s good fortunes should continue, as long as Milligan continues to play at an All-Canadian level and Boiago maintains her efficient scoring to go along with her high usage.

Against the Mustangs, Mac looked sure of themselves all through the final ten minutes.

That confidence should be a stain that will be hard to wipe off.

It was a big weekend for the McMaster figure skating squad who had six podium finishes and placed fifth overall in the annual Ontario University Athletics Winter Invitational held on Jan. 27 in London, Ont.

The McMaster figure skating team will now continue on in their journey to an OUA Championship as their results from this weekend’s competition improve their ranking from their previous competition results, which they acquired in November of last year.

Receiving points in almost every category, the Marauders finished with the most podium finishes and the highest total score in the team’s history.

The first event of the day saw the team get in a positive flow as the duo of Riley Allison and Marissa Bradley placed McMaster on the board with their first points of the day.

Allison and Bradley continued to impress placing third in the Intermediate Similar.

In the next event the Dance Fours team consisting of Melissa Sieradzski- Jones, Savannah Colameco, Behan Pulla and Julie-Anne Mendoza placed second in their first season debut.

A second pairs team also received a podium finish when Emily Steif and Emily Buddo placed second in the Junior Silver pairs event.

The second day of competition showed no signs of the Marauders faultering as Jennifer Pattem started off the day with a second place finish in the Short program event. Pettem continued to be a strong staple in McMaster’s success along with partner Alexandra Kourjounakis who had a second place finish in the Gold Creative Dance event.

That event would mark two second place finishes for Jennifer Pettem in the OUA Winter Invitational.

To finish off the successful weekend for the Marauders, Ryley Goodhand placed third in the Open Solo Dance event, bringing McMaster’s final team standings to a record high 51 points.

The Marauders will continue on the competition train moving onto the OUA Championships in February hosted in Toronto by Ryerson University.